Saturday, April 1, 2006

GREECE Alexanderopolis

Many years ago, in Aussie, Bev and I had a small farm where we had sheep and grew a crop of oats and wheat . We Bought some old Merino ewes and mated them with Border Leister Rams . We were after some crossbreeds which are easy maintenance and good mothers compared to the stupid Merino pure breeds. Of course there was some midwifery and veterinary work that was required as the Border rams were large compared to the tiny mother merino ewes. Bev's skill came in handy and we achieved 105 % lambing average.


The ram lambs required an Elastorator ring to be applied to the Balls and tail, while the ewe lambs got off lightly with only a ring on the tail. I remember that while I was carring out this process, concentrating on the task in hand. I slipped an orange elastorator ring into my mouth, in anticipation of speeding up the process, i suppose. I found that when chewing down on the ring with my back teeth there was an equal an opposite force throwing the jaw open again . This was very entertaining and much better than chewing gum.



We have seen Octopus hanging on clothes lines drying like socks and wanted to try some of this Greek Delicacy. I thought it was called 'Calamari', I was proved wrong, that's Squid rings. The waiter said no you mean 'Plokami' which is 'Octopus legs' . " We will have some of each please". we confidently ordered .



A lovely Greek salad arrived along with fresh bread and olive oil to further enhance the food . The calamari was lightly battered and soft and tender with a lovely fresh fish taste . The Octopus arrived an three inch lengths now in a C Shape from the cooking process . The suction cups had retracted to small pads and the outer skin which is usually purple in colour had shrunk to be easily parted from the flesh. Grilling had caramalised the butter and garlic fishy flavours.

A day or two later we spotted some frozen Octopus in the supermarket and thought that the cooking would be a breeze . It required simmering for a while then caramailzed by putting it under the grill olive oil.


"Try this". said Bev


I popped some in my mouth, it was the innermost part of the tenticle, some of the suction cups were still adhearing . I chewed down and to my surprise two jets of inky fluid squirted from the morsal. The consistance was like rubber and my down thrust was opposed by an equal and opposite force.


I wondered if the uncooked arsehole of an octopus, had inspired the woman who invented the elastorator ring.



Last few days down in Greece, we cross to Italy on the weekend.



I wonder what will happen next.



Alvin

Wednesday, February 1, 2006

TURKEY Ephephus






Ephesus, House of Love


Several years ago I was awoken from deep sleep, the phone rıngıng by my bed .

The man on the other end saıd, "Alvın, I have a problem, my erectıon won't go away"


After some dıscussıon we work out a plan whıch ıncluded a vısıt to A & E.


The medıcal term for hıs persıstant erectıon ıs call 'Prıaprısm' . The cause ıs the valve at the base of the Penıs goes ınto spasm and wont allow the blood to dıssıpate . It ıs a rare sıde effect from a psychıatrıc medıcatıon called Haloperıdol.


The treatment of course ıs low stımulus and to wrap the offendıng member ın a cold towel wıth ıce to help the process. I supported the bloke wıth thıs form of treatment ın A & E for about 2 Hrs . The problem persısted


The Senıor House Offıce Doctor had never seen any thıng lıke thıs before and consulted hıgher . The new treatment was more ınvasıve.

Insert a needle ınto the blood vessels of the engorged penıs and draw off blood. After 200 mls was removed there was some flacıddıty but the problem was not resolved untıl after 500 mls.


I was wonderıng ıf the blood should put ıt all back ınto hıs arm.


Any way today we walked the ancıent cıty of Ephesus. Ruıns half way down the Turkısh Adrıatıc coast about 2 hrs south of ISMIR. 40% of the sıte has been excavated revealıng the Lıbrary, Fountaıns, Maın gates, Amphıtheatres, Unıversıtıes, House of Love , Bath houses and Resıdentıal homes for the Upper socıety.


Ephesus ıs at a cross roads for trade, east to west,. sımılar to the role of Istanbul.

To the south of the cıty ıs a vast fertıle plain and close by there was a sea port. A channel was dug rıght up o the Cıty walls to allow trade wıth the cıty from all over the world. It ıs saıd that the Egyptıan Queen Cleopratra made a grand entrance ınto Ephesus, to flirt wıth Julıus Caesar, vıa the Arcadıan way, a road stıll lıned wıth marble statues and shops.


Archeologısts have uncovered some fabuluos Statues , murals , Mosaıcs , Tıled floors, fountaıns, frescoes, and some super sculptures of pre chrıstıan gods .

Bev was taken by the statue of the female god Artımus / Dıana . Thıs women was depıcted wıth multıple breasts and her arms out welcomıng lıke a mother would to a toddler . I was thınkıng how dısconcertıng ıt would be to cuddle up to her wıth so many choices.


Another area recently excavated was the House of Love . Found ın the House were mosaıcs of young women sıttıng round a table drınkıng wıne . Another one depıcted four women ın seductıve pose thought to represent the four seasons. In the mıddle of thıs Mosaıc was a male wıth an oversızed erect penıs Wıth the words wrıtten ın Greece 'AKO AYOI' whıch means 'FOLLOW ME'


A terracotta statue of the God of Nature called Bes was uneartherd. Hıs erectıon was nearly a quarter the sıze of the statue ıtself. I read wıth Interest that thıs god was also called 'Prıapus.


I wonder what wıll happen next


Alvın


PS ( Please send an emaıl whıch we love to read whıle we are travellıng )

Sunday, April 24, 2005

ENGLAND Ducks

Scotney Castle and Gardens UK
Bodium Castle UK

Subject: A quacking good time.


We have been away all weekend. Here is a description of our travels.

First to Bodium Castle in Sussex. A typical storybook style of medieval
castle,sitting in a moat full of ducks and big catfish that compete for the
bread we threw to them.

I enjoyed watching the ducks being jolted up on the swirling fish who dash
about opened mouthed.

The Castle is a 4 towers square design like a child's sandcastle topped with
Battlements.

Sissinghurst Castle and Garden was next (my favourite and the third time
have been ) I always get so blissed out there.
The surrounding countryside is a rolling green pasture with oaks and
hedgerows.

Vita Sackville West devoted her life to this garden design. It is a magical
feast of colour, texture and great taste.
I love it.

Fish and chips in the cute olde worde port of Rye; beside the river where
the tide was out and the fishing boats lay at drunken angles on the silty
mud waiting for their next job.

We left it late to park the van for the night. It was difficult to judge the
best spot in the dark. We chose the gateway of a farm in Sussex in the hills
above Hastings.

Louise Crump was our" house guest" and bravely squeezed under our bed.

To make the bed up we need to swivel the passengers seat around to face
backwards and push the drivers seat up against the steering wheel.
Anxious that the farmer would tell us off in the morning we settled down to
sleep giggling about various senarios that might confront us in the middle
of the night if we tried to drive the van away in haste.

We woke to birdsong and a cloudy but warmish day.
I marvelled at the woodland spring flowers -so dainty. The bluebells are not
quite out, but sweet little white bells carpet the woods with some pink
bells and tiny yellow stars.

First call was Scotney Castle garden. A softly muted version of the blaze
that azaelias will create in the next few weeks.
It is Alvin's favourite garden . He took great shots with the video but
missed one opportunity.

We were standing on the drawbridge of the castle moat watching the ducks ;
like balcony seats at the opera.
Louise and I were amused by witnessing a duck and drake's courtship.
The drake nodded the duck nodded . He pushed her head under the water, she
smiled and it ended with a duck f....k .

Alvin fudged his videoing.
He only captured the duck rinsing her feathers in the pond with a quick head
dive, and as she stretched up and flapped her wings she poised on her orange
flippers to accept applause from Louise.

Next stop Knole House, a giant of an estate in Kent. The current Lord
Sackville has the National Trust look after his family's collection of
ancient royal furniture in a rambling mansion with secret corridors opening
out of the panels in the walls so that the servants in the 1600's could go
about the duties unobtrusively.

Mentally fatigued we arrived back at Catford. Someone had thrown a pretty
good carpet in the skip so we fashioned a mat for our van flloor and used an
abandoned supermarket trolley to cart our belongings up in the lift to the
flat.

Bev

Wednesday, December 19, 2001

Stonehenge Visit @ Xmas



19.12.01

WISHING YOU ALL A PEACEFUL CHRISTMAS



We will probably be a little sad on Christmas Day but will make the most of it.


I’m sure I will miss the girls.


Alvin is doing night duty so that will not be too great.




I finished my adaptation course yesterday.


It was like pulling teeth to get it tied up but I finally got a letter form Lewisham. They asked me to work on the ward because they were short and I struck a deal.


Sign the letter and I will come back to work tonight. The letter says I am finished and am suitable to be a midwife. I took a train to the uni to give it to the boss lady there who signs another form to tell UKCC I’m done. But then there are the essays to get marked before Xmas so who knows. The boss of the uni told me March. I told her that was not OK. So we will wait now and see.




So now I have my life back. I will miss the University Lectures. I go out to shows with three of the women I met through I met through the class. I want to keep in touch with two others, I don’t want to lose contact with them


I plan to visit Gibraltar ASAP where Leanne lives, and Rafat belongs to another world i.e. Muslin so that will take an effort.


I am working as a nurse in Ward 5 Postnatal again. Casual call on. Ill have everything arranged to apply at my hospital Lewisham. Alvin enjoys his work at Woolich Hospital. He would like me to move to this hospital but I prefer to stay where I am as I know the people now.


We had a wonderful weekend. Went to Stonehenge. Artic conditions with the wind blowing across the plains from the Polar Cap.


The we looked for a B & B.


Found a fabulous tiny town. A Post Office/shop from a hundred years ago. So quaint they didn’t even sell what I wanted Tampax.


Asked directions for a B & B and got taken home with a lovely woman customer to her house for a cup of tea.


She was a Practice Nurse in the area and hubby was high up in the army. I kept thinking I’ve seen him on TV. Must keep my eyes peeled.


They had a dog called Nelson who I could not get enough of. He was so obedient but so willing to be a mischief. Anyway these folks introduced us to their neighbours who has traveled extensively in NZ even been to Hokitika. A real English tea party.


The pub was our destination. Wooden shingle tiles on the roof. Picture postcard stuff.


A Church next door and thatched houses all around a narrow lane. The publican is a “retired” chef and dinner was divine. His wife was responsible for the décor of the pub. I never got to meet here but I appreciated the attention to detail inside and out. It was like a fairytale. We spelt well and felt obliged to eat the English breakfast prepared for us in the morning. Just could not eat the fried bread and black pudding.


Take care and warmest wishes for a Happy New Year


Bev and Alvin